What Happened with the Dog
by Mymomomo
Summary: "We should just start a Zoo, Kurosaki." Sequel to 'Give Me One Reason' IchixHitsu nothing but fluff and puppies.


**Well this was a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing. I found prompt that** **Seemed to fit so perfectly with one of my other stories that it had to be done.**

**So, this is somewhat of a sequel to 'Give me one reason'. You've had the cat part now here's what happened with the dog. **

* * *

After three months he knew that the cat hated him, but it came as a shock to discover that the dog felt the same way.

"Not this again, Ichigo," Toushiro sighed, feeling a migraine coming on with full force.

"Did you really expect me to leave them outside?" the red-head asked incredulously. "It's raining cats and dogs out there."

"Funny you would use that wording."

Toushiro glared down at the box of puppies at his feet. There were seven of them – black and white spotted lumps of fur with floppy ears, paws way too big for their bodies, and long tails that could not be kept still. Their whimpering was growing in volume by the second and he sighed dramatically, running a hand through his hair.

"Well, I suppose we should bathe and feed them before they all get sick and die on us."

Ichigo's grin could have supplied the whole of Japan with electricity for an entire month.

Minutes later Toushiro stood outside of the bathroom armed with a pile of old towels, a bottle of baby shampoo, and his pants rolled up to his knees.

"Okay, bring them in and make sure that Ellie doesn't come near. The last thing I need is for her to catch any fleas."

It took Ichigo a bit longer to confine the cat to his and Toushiro's bedroom and he was sure that he would come back to find yet another one of his shirts ripped to shreds. It was never Toushiro's clothes – only his.

Heading back to Toushiro in the bathroom he heard the sound of running water and soft swearing.

"What's wrong?" he asked, poking his head around the door frame.

"One of them has a cut on its leg and it looks like it's gotten infected, see?" he held one of the black and white puppies. Sure enough one of its back legs was in pretty bad shape.

"Plus, they all look like they're half starved."

Ichigo sighed, "Give him here, and I'll go get some puppy chow and milk-"

"- and flea medicine; I've been doing my best with a tweezers, but I don't want to be here all night. Doesn't help that most of them are black."

Ichigo chuckled.

"Now see to this one; I've already cleaned him so just fix up his leg then I don't think he should be too bad."

Ichigo couldn't help but smile as he took the puppy from his boyfriend.

"And Ichigo?"

"Hmmm?"

"If you ever do this to me again I'm gonna kick you, and whatever animal you brought home, out on your ass."

He chewed the inside of his cheek, "Got it."

"Good."

They kept a first aid kit in the kitchen. The first couple of times Toushiro had started to experiment with different cooking styles had ended in a few cut palms and burnt fingers. So he grabbed a few extra towels and headed to the kitchen.

Years living at a clinic had prepared him to deal with issues like this and while the puppy did not seem too bad, the fact that he was not as energetic as his brothers and sisters spoke volumes. He allowed Ichigo to handle him this way and that with no resistance what so ever. He could barely keep his little eyes open and his breathing was ever so slightly laboured. Ichigo swore; who the hell would leave a box of puppies on the street corner in mid-fall? No wonder the little guy had gotten sick.

Ichigo quickly disinfected and dressed the wound. He was a little thankful that the dog had reacted to the stinging of the antiseptic rather than just lying there. They would have to make an appointment with the vet. He scratched the small black and white chin before stroking its head gently. The puppy snuggled into his hand. Honestly, who could have the heart to just abandon them there; they were so cute.

"How's he doing?"

Ichigo jumped at Toshiro's voice, "Not so well; we'll have to take him to the vet tomorrow."

"I think we'd better take all of them to the vet," Toushiro muttered lifting up a basket of whimpering – but clean – puppies. "I'll go get the milk," he placed the basket at Ichigo's feet and grabbed the car keys from their hook by the door. "Oh, and it's safe to let Ellie out now."

Ichigo swore again. He wasn't sure if he wanted to be the one to let the cat out. He considered it for a while longer; nah, she could stay locked up until Toushiro got back.

The puppies seemed happy enough to have their bellies filled and fell asleep right after. All of them except for the little one with the bad leg. He refused to eat from the bowl with the rest of his siblings.

"Does this mean we have to hand feed him?" Ichigo asked.

"We probably should," Toushiro sighed, glancing at the clock. "It's already late; what's a few more hours?"

After cleaning out the dropper from an old iodine bottle they took turns feeding the injured puppy until he too fell asleep.

Stifling a yawn Toushiro said that he would make an appointment with the vet tomorrow. They clambered into bed and Ichigo wrapped his arms around the smaller man and kissed him on the forehead.

Toushiro snorted, "A forehead kiss, really? I think I deserve more than that after all I've done tonight."

Ichigo chuckled and dipped his head down to capture his partner's lips with his own. He smiled into the kiss and began to trace lazy patterns along Toushiro's back. Toushiro wrapped his arms around Ichigo's neck and tangled his fingers in the short hair on his neck.

The kiss was ended in an abrupt hiss as Ellie decided that this would be the opportune moment to take her revenge for being locked in the bedroom for hours.

"That damn cat," Ichigo growled as he nursed a few tiny pricks on his bicep, "and you wonder why I don't like you."

Toushiro chuckled as the cat curled up on the pillow next to his head, nuzzled into his hair and began to purr. "Well you did leave her in here after I told you to let her out."

"'Cause I knew she'd attack me if I let her out. I stand by my statement; that cat is a demon."

"And you wonder why _she_ doesn't like _you_."

The vet prescribed a few days work of antibiotics for the injured puppy and proclaimed the other healthy. And a few days later they found a shelter willing to put them up for adoption. Which was also the reason why the two of them were arguing.

"Come on, you know you'll miss him."

"If we keep every stray animal you run into. We might as well start a zoo."

"We're not keeping all of them; just Olaf."

"You named him?"

"Of course I named him. Look how attached he is to us, you especially."

Toushiro huffed. The once injured puppy had taken to following him around the house as if it had imprinted on him like a duckling on its mother.

"Yeah well, remember Ellie was your idea as well and see how that turned out."

"She is the devil in a fur suit. Olaf, on the other hand, is harmless."

Ichigo could see his boyfriend's resolve cracking.

"But he's a great dane," Toushiro moaned, "I don't want a pet that's going to be bigger than me."

"He can protect you when I'm not around."

Toushiro sighed and looked at the puppies as they stumbled over one another in an attempt to play. Somehow Olaf sensed that Toushiro was looking at him and jumped up in excitement, knocking over one of his brothers and succeeding in falling out of the basket that they were in.

Both Ichigo and Toushiro started laughing as the puppy clumsily picked itself up and waddled over to their feet. Toushiro bent down and scratched Olaf behind his ear.

"Fine, we can keep him."

Ichigo grinned and wrapped his arms around Toushiro's waist. The smaller man straightened and pecked Ichigo on the cheek.

"You're in charge of house training him."

Ichigo winced; he should have known that was coming.

He had known after three months that the cat hated him, but, as he picked up a pair of his sopping wet jeans, he realised that the dog had it in for him as well.

* * *

**I really should get into the habit of doing more one-shots to stretch my writing muscle... but my one-shots always turn into multi-chapters in my head and take a long time to plan out... that and I can never decide on what to write about. **

**Anyway, this was a little less fluffy than the prequel but I like dogs better than I like cats so you can see what the focus was on :)**

**Drop a review on your way out; I'd like to hear what you think about my attempt at doing shorter fics. **

**- Mymomomo**


End file.
